Somewhere amidst the frosty tundra of northern Canada, a musk ox (yes one of those vast and curmudgeonly beasts) is missing a little of its tummy fluff. Not very much of its tummy-fluff you understand, not enough to leave it with a shivery abdomen, for the musk ox is extremely well-insulated and tends to moult its excess in spring. But just a few grams, sufficient to make… oh I don’t know… maybe a cowl for someone in the frosty – er – “tundra” of south Oxfordshire.
All I can say is thank you, Mr or Mrs musk ox. And thank you again to my father-in-law, the Gregarious Grandfather, for providing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bury my senses in the fur of such a marvellous arctic beast. 
The qiviut cowl is finished! Nah, that doesn’t fully convey my excitement over this fact. How about, THE COWL IS FINISHED!!!! It’s a Smokering – a lacy but simple pattern that shows off the slight ombre in the yarn quite wonderfully. I’m wearing it in our chilly house as I write this and I feel both warm (at least in the neck area – everything else is shivering) and at one with the musk ox.
Is it obvious how gorgeous this yarn is? Perhaps not from a photo. Let me explain. If I laid this 34-gram cowl on your hand, you’d scarcely notice its weight, but instead feel the most gentle, floaty sensation on your skin. 
Qiviut doesn’t shrink so it isn’t prone to felting, but I have to say that a little of the oxen grumpiness remains in the yarn and it did tend to scramble itself into felt-like tangled messes rather too easily as I wound it and worked it. Am I complaining? No of course I’m not, because I have this:- 
And within this happy, simple pattern, there is lace, although it’s hard to make out the details in the fluff-fest above. Here’s another shot:- 
Some people say that qiviut is a nicer (and altogether more amenable) experience when it’s blended with silk or summat. And yes, this might make the yarn a little more biddable, but I can honestly say that putting on a pure qiviut garment is absolute heaven. Well worth the grumpiness, I say. *Meanwhile, if you’re in the UK, don’t forget the Stylecraft yarn designing competition! I’m so excited to be on the judging panel that will look over all your entries. Go on, let your imagination go wild! In case you can’t make out the details from my little photo, everything you need to know to enter is here.*
I’ve always wanted to knit with qiviut. Looks lovely and soft!
It is rather wonderful, and it rapidly gets even softer with handling.
qiviut is heaven. I once had a scarf.. each stitch pleasure to knit. The *#/* moths got it one summer. Tears were wept, lesson learned. Most amazing yarn ever and worth every penny ( or pence)
Moths!! In qiviut!! Oh my goodness, how on earth are you sounding so sane after having that happen?
Beautiful. Love the colors too. Hopefully the critters fur grew back before the temperature dropped.
I think they mostly use fur that has been moulted in spring. 🙂
ooh la la……that’s all that needs to be said. (And purple!)! Beautiful, really!…..and what soft and cozy decadence to have that wrapped around your neck!
Thank you. Believe me, I’m making the most of this, because I don’t suppose it’ll happen again.
Looks totally yummy. Bet it feels it too.
Yup. 🙂
Woooooooooooooooow….. speechless!
🙂
Stunning. I love it. I’ve drooled over some quiviut at my LYS, so at least I’ve gotten to touch it. Would love to knit with it someday!
The wonderful thing is that it gets softer and softer as you knit with it.
Beautiful!
Thank you.
That is a gorgeous cowl. Enjoy it freely!
Thank you. 🙂
That looks soo smooth already, I can only imagine how much more fluffy it is in person 🙂
Yup, there’s fluff. Much lovely fluff.
What a luxuriously beautiful thing!
It has been an honour to knit with this wonderful yarn just once in my life.
That looks so soft and warm – and what a delicious colour! Just the thing to make this grim weather a bit more bearable.
Yup. I would have been almost disappointed if it had suddenly warmed up!
Ooooh, that looks divine. So luxurious and cosy 🙂
Yup!
It sounds incredible! The colour is beautiful isn’t it! xx
Thank you. It is a wonderfully rich colour.
I am trying to work my way up the knitting ladder or greatness until I am worthy of knitting with such a majestic yarn. In the meantime I am admiring your qiviut cowl from afar, and imagine its weightless softness, and all-round marvelousness…!
But such lovely yarn needs only a simple pattern to show it off….
I am so jealous right now…I love how the most curmudgeonly creatures create the softest things, and warmest feelings;-).
Yes, their fur is definitely softer than their tempers. Not that I’ve ever met a musk ox.
It looks absolutely glorious!
That is absolutely beautiful! What a magnificent gift that was.
Believe me, I am most definitely grateful for this gift.
So pretty! I might invest in some of that qiviut…with all the wind here in KS my neck gets shivery very quickly!
No way would your neck ever shiver again – this stuff knits up so fine but soooo warm.
It looks so gorgeously soft and fluffy and, whilst I’m not a purple person, that second photo has made me think twice:)
It comes in lots of other rich, luscious colours too. 🙂
That looks absolutely beautiful, and warm too!
Will you ever take it off?
Nope. Never. 🙂
Beautiful!…I want to touch it… 🙂
OK, I’m holding it up near the screen so if you can sort of reach through a bit…..
(It does feel heavenly soft.)
I can’t help but think the musk ox would be pleased.”My coat? You made that with my coat?” Yeah.
I don’t know. I fear that musk oxen may be quite grumpy about most things…
I’ve never seen or heard of qiviut before ..imagine that and living in Canada. Shame on me lol Now its on my bucket list with buffalo yarn 🙂 BTW the colour is so beautiful.
Izz
Do you have a pattern for your Qiviut cowl?